The Story of Jacob /p8

So Jacob lived seven years in Laban's house, caring for his
sheep and oxen and camels; but his love for Rachel made the
time seem short.

At last the day came for the marriage; and
they brought in the bride, who, after the manner of that
land, was covered with a thick veil, so that her face could
not be seen. And she was married to Jacob, and when Jacob
lifted up her veil he found that he had married, not Rachel,
but her older sister, Leah, who was not beautiful, and whom
Jacob did not love at all.

Jacob was very angry that he had been deceived,—though
that was just the way in which Jacob himself had deceived his
father and cheated his brother Esau. But his uncle Laban
said:

"In our land we never allow the younger daughter to be
married before the older daughter. Keep Leah for your wife, and
work for me seven years longer, and you shall have Rachel
also."

For in those times, as we have seen, men often had two
wives, or even more than two. So Jacob stayed seven years more,
fourteen years in all, before he received Rachel as his
wife.

While Jacob was living at Haran, eleven sons were born to
him. But only one of these was the child of Rachel, whom Jacob
loved. This son was Joseph, who was dearer to Jacob than any
other of his children, partly because he was the youngest, and
because he was the child of his beloved Rachel.